Preserving Black Excellence: John C. Minkins’ Pawtucket Home Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Published on Wednesday, September 03, 2025
John Carter Minkins (1859-1969) was arguably the most important Black man in Rhode Island journalism for more than half a century. A career newspaperman with a national profile, Minkins was also a lifelong civil rights activist -- proudly using his voice and position to advocate for the rights of Black Americans. Now, his Pawtucket home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to Black history.
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) is hosting a free program at the Pawtucket Public Library on September 24 at 5:30 pm to mark this occasion.
Minkins' newspaper career began in Virginia, but by age 25, he had established himself in Providence, and he remained in Rhode Island for the rest of his life. His distinguished career included positions at several Rhode Island newspapers, as well as writing for national outlets, all at a time when Black journalists were exceptionally rare. In 1906, Minkins became editor-in-chief of the Providence News-Democrat, making him the first Black editor of a white-owned newspaper in the country, according to contemporary sources. Minkins remained active – professionally and politically – well into his 80s.
In addition to his paid work, which brought Minkins’ voice to national publications and stages across the country, he also dedicated himself to Black community life closer to home. Minkins participated in many civic and advocacy organizations, including the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which he helped to found in 1913. In 1914, Minkins pressured the Providence YMCA to allow Black people to use its newly opened facility. His paper, the Rhode Island Examiner, was the sole Rhode Island newspaper to provide front-page coverage of the story.
While John C. Minkins’ trailblazing career spanned many decades and numerous places of employment, the Minkins family home at 345 Glenwood Avenue remained a constant. Purchased in 1900, Minkins lived there for nearly 60 years – not only raising seven accomplished daughters with his wife Rosa, but also hosting gatherings of politicians and newspapermen and, importantly, working from his home office as a correspondent for newspapers across the country.
This spring, the Minkins family home was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to Black history. The nomination originated from an ongoing statewide project to document sites related to the struggle for Black civil rights in Rhode Island.
“We are thrilled that John Carter Mikins’ longtime home in Pawtucket is now included in the National Register, the nation’s official list of historic places worthy of preservation. We are continuing to identify homes, offices, churches, and other places where Black Rhode Islanders advanced the Civil Rights movement, and are planning additional nominations to the National Register in the future,” said RIHPHC Deputy Director Joanna Doherty.
On September 24, Keith Stokes, Rhode Island Historian Laureate, the Heritage Alliance of Pawtucket, and Public Archaeology Lab (PAL) will join RIHPHC to share the long and cooperative process it took to develop the nomination. This lecture is free with registration. Contact us for program-related questions.
Minkins’ papers are housed at Rhode Island College, the University of Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society. Minkins was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 2013 and featured prominently in a 2022 exhibit about the African American Press in Rhode Island. In 2024, the City of Pawtucket established the John Carter Minkins Community Leader Award to honor his legacy.
About the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC / RI State Preservation Office) is the state agency that identifies and protects historic buildings, districts, structures, landscapes, and archaeological sites. As the state office for historic preservation, the RIHPHC is responsible for reviewing and submitting Rhode Island nominations to the National Register. The Commission also develops and carries out programs to document and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Rhode Islanders past and present.
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